Spending quality time together as a family is something that every child (and adult!) needs in their life.
It helps strengthen your connection to one another, it builds trust, encourages affection and creates memories that will last forever.
As you get older, of course, you may find yourself wanting to spend more time with your friends than your family.
While that is totally understandable, it’s important to remember that, even if they annoy you sometimes, your parents love you and will always want to be in your life.
It might require a little compromise but if you can do these five things with your family every week, they will be delighted!
1. Eat a meal at the dinner table
With so many electronic devices in our lives today, there’s something almost quaint about having dinner at the table as a family! Try it out and see what kind of conversations happen as a result. You never know what you might find out….
2. Watch a TV show or film together
The days of only watching shows or films on TV screens is long gone meaning that often, we watch our favourite programme on our personal devices, in our own time. This tends to fragment the household into different rooms and leads to more isolation rather than togetherness.
Why not see if there is a TV show or movie that you can all watch (and hopefully enjoy!) as a family? Game shows, quiz shows and talent shows are all relatively safe bets and won’t have you rushing to “plug in the kettle” if a scene starts that you’d rather not watch with your parents in the room!
3. Have a ‘no devices’ evening
This one is not just good for you as a family, it’s also good for your own mental wellbeing. The vast majority of us would admit that we’re guilty of scrolling far too much on our phones. So, in fact, family rule that states you have to set it aside one night a week is something to be embraced rather than raged against.
Get the deck of cards or Monopoly board out and have a laugh with each other!
4. Get moving
Exercise is something everyone needs to do on a daily basis, regardless of their age, weight or size. It doesn’t matter if it’s walking, running, swimming, cycling, rollerskating, skipping, pilates, yoga or going to the gym.
The important thing is to get your body moving and if you can incorporate it into a day out with the family, all the better!
5. Talk about your week
Whether it’s been a good one, a bad one or a great one, there’s nothing quite like having someone to share your news with.
No matter what’s happened, don’t keep it to yourself. Sit down with your parents or siblings and ask them how their week went. A problem shared is a problem halved and a celebration shared is a celebration doubled!
